Robert Wright is renowned for his career as a prosecutor in the halls of justice.
On Wednesday, Oct. 16, he entered a different kind of hall.
Wright, who lives in Coquitlam and was born in New Westminster where he attended Lester B. Pearson High School, was named to the BC Sports Hall of Fame as the recipient of the W.A.C. Bennett Award, its highest honour recognizing individuals who’ve made a unique and lasting contribution to sport in the province.
The athletic inclinations of Wright, who led a team of 17 lawyers prosecuting the Air India bombing case that spanned eight years, precede his call to the bar in 1973.
Wright was a charter member of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) first men’s basketball team in 1965.
Through the 1980s, he directed his energy and spare time to volunteering in administrative roles in the sporting realm, as the chair of Basketball BC from 1981-84, the chair of Tennis BC from 1983-85 and the chair of Sport BC from 1986-88.
In 1989, Wright became the chair of Tennis Canada and during his two-year tenure helped create the organization’s Hall of Fame and its excellence awards.
He also served on the International Tennis Federation’s Federation Cup committee from 1987-89 and helped bring the prestigious tournament to the Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver in 1987.
The event featured international stars like Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, Gabriela Sabatini and Steffi Graf, along with Canadians Helen Kelesi and Carling Bassett.
Other members of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 include:
- Christine Sinclair, soccer player
- Ray Ferraro, hockey player
- Cindy Devine, mountain biker
- Nathan Hirayama, rugby player
- Walter Wu, para swimmer
- Chandra Madhosingh, table tennis coach, administrator, official and volunteer
- Dr. Saul Miller, sports psychologist
- Wes Woo, weightlifting coach
- 2000 BC Lions football team
- the founders of Meraloma Club
- broadcaster Jim Hughson
They’ll all be honoured at a special gala in May 2025.
